At just seven games into the season, the Chicago Cubs have started out with an excellent 6-1 record.
But, I’m not happy.
No, I’m not unhappy because I think they should be 7-0 (although they almost were). I’m just fed up with the schedule.
Nine days into the season, the Cubs have had two off days and seven night games. And, thanks to West Coast road trip, four of those night games have started at 8:40 PM or later. Bring on some day games, please.
Also, speaking of night games, I will be sitting in the bleachers at the Cubs/Reds game on Thursday night at Wrigley Field. So, if you’re going, feel free to stop by and say hi. Until then, let’s check in on some news from around the league …[adinserter block=”1″]
Francisco Liriano will not make his scheduled start on Wednesday due to right hamstring discomfort, per Pirates.com. In his stead, the Pirates will send righty Ryan Vogelsong to the mound to take on Detroit at 7:05. As of now, Liriano is day to day, but if he is forced to miss an extended period of time, the Pirates (5-3) rotation will take a big hit. Liriano, you’ll note, threw six scoreless innings against the Cardinals/for the Pirates on Opening Day.
On Friday, Mets ace Jacob deGrom strained his right lat in a start against the Phillies. He hasn’t yet been placed on the disabled list, but the Mets are apparently considering such a move. If he does hit the DL, it will be retroactive to April 9, meaning that he may miss only 1-2 starts. The Mets are holding out hope he avoids the DL altogether. We’ll likely know more on this soon.
Braves infielder Hector Olivera has reportedly been arrested following a dispute with a woman at the Ritz Carlton in Arlington. Apparently, the female victim called 911 Wednesday morning, claiming to have been assaulted (by Olivera). He is currently being processed by the Arlington Police Department, but has not been charged. Although this looks pretty awful (and is continuation of a disturbing trend in sports), I’d urge to reserve judgement until all the facts are released. MLB has put Olivera on administrative leave while they investigate. The Braves owe Olivera, 31, $32.5 million over the next five seasons.[adinserter block=”2″]
The Los Angeles Dodgers are having trouble with their pitching staff. Aside from Clayton Kershaw, the rotation is injured and underperforming, which is putting more stress on the bullpen. And, in turn, the added stress on the bullpen has caused them to blow several games (most recently, three to the Giants). However, the Dodgers are not going to make any rash decisions, and Manager Dave Roberts isn’t yet concerned. The hope is for the bullpen and rotation to turn things around and keep them there long enough until any (or all) of Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson arrive as mid-season reinforcements.
After being ejected by John Hirschbeck, Miguel Sano was surprised to hear the veteran umpire tell him to “Get the f**k outta here!” and said as much to reporters after the game.
The Tampa Bay Rays are the most offensively aggressive team in baseball, with a swing% well over 50%. The Cubs, perhaps unsurprisingly, have just the 22nd highest swing%, as they relentlessly wait for the pitch in every single at bat. Of course, that may be why they are one of the most disciplined teams in baseball since 1961:
The Cubs 2016 walk rate has been a "statistical outlier," so far. That's impressive. https://t.co/rKy2aNikpX
Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL.
In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy.
You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami
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